AS PART of Greyhound Remembrance weekend, South Devon Greyhound Action will be holding a special Remembrance ceremony outside the Newton Abbot race track in Kingsteignton, this Sunday July 24, at 5pm.

As reported in last week’s issue, Greyhound Remembrance Day is a special event held nationally every year in memory of the hundreds of thousands of greyhounds that have been abused and killed by some disreputable members of the British greyhound racing industry since July 24th, 1926, when greyhound racing first began at Belle Vue, Manchester.

Helen Stevens from South Devon Greyhound Action said "This very special day of Remembrance forms part of International Greyhound Memorial Weekend, held throughout the world in memory of the millions of victims of greyhound racing worldwide.

"We are delighted this year to welcome the support of Reverend Chas Deacon from St. John's, Shiphay, Torquay, who will be joining us outside the race track and will recite prayers and give a special blessing for the greyhounds who have suffered and died. The amount of dogs that have lost their lives to the British greyhound racing industry since greyhound racing first began nearly 80 years ago could easily be over a million."

The group have asked asked that supporters bring flowers to this event as they will perform a special 'laying of flowers' where they will place flowers and purple ribbons at the entrance of the race track. The assembled crowd will also be holding a one-minute silence when Stevens will be reading a heart-rending poem which details the horrors that just one of these poor dogs may be subjected to. Many of the group’s supporters will be accompanied by rescued greyhounds.